1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a seat air conditioner for a vehicle, which has an air passage in a seat cushion of a vehicle seat and blows conditioned air from a seat surface of the vehicle seat through the air passage. More particularly, the present invention relates to a seat structure with the seat air conditioner.
2. Description of Related Art
In a seat air conditioner for a vehicle disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,706 (corresponding to JP-A-2000-152849), as shown in FIG. 10, a vehicle seat 101 includes a seat cushion 102 as a seat part and a seat back 103 as a backrest part. Each of the seat cushion 102 and the seat back 103 includes a cushion having a pad 105 used as a support member, and a seat surface 106 covering the pad 105 at its face side. A seat air passage 400 and a blower unit 410 are provided in each of the seat cushion 102 and the seat back 103. Conditioned air is blown from each blower unit 410, and is blown from a surface of each cushion through each seat air passage 400, so that comfortable feeling can be given to a passenger sitting on the vehicle seat 101. In this seat air conditioner, the seat air passage 400 has an air distribution passage 500 that is formed into a ditch shape to be recessed from a face surface of the pad 105.
However, when the air distribution passage 500 is provided on the face surface of the pad 105 to be recessed from the face surface of the pad 105 in the ditch shape, the seat surface 106 is uneven due to the air distribution passage 500. Therefore, uncomfortable feeling may be given to a passenger seated on the vehicle seat 101. For example, unstable feeling may be given to the passenger hip on the vehicle seat 101. Further, dents are generated on the seat surface 106 due to the air distribution passage 500, thereby worsening a design appearance of the vehicle seat 101. Furthermore, a recessed suspension ditch (engagement ditch) is generally provided on the pad 105 to fix the seat surface 106. Therefore, an arrangement of the air distribution passage 500 is restricted inside the suspension ditch, in order to prevent interference between the suspension ditch and the air distribution passage 500.